BROOKLYN, Mich. — Kyle Busch tried to play the “blame game” on his “mutually agreed” departure from Hendrick Motorsports.
Busch, who will leave the team at the end of this season to make way for the recently signed Dale Earnhardt, Jr., claims his agent never informed him what was going on in his negotiations for a contract extension with Hendrick.
He has replaced his agent, Alan Miller, with Motorsports Management International as he becomes a free agent, open for any and all offers.
“My previous representation did inform me he was getting calls,” Busch said of contact from other race teams. “That was opened up to Hendrick Motorsports and that is when they got upset.
“Do I feel like I got pushed out? No. For the way the negotiations were going, they weren’t going well, so I feel I can do better someplace else. That’s the way we felt it.”
Teams that are considered to have expressed interest in Busch include Dale Earnhardt, Inc., Robert Yates Racing and Evernham Motorsports. Other teams that could have an interest include Richard Childress Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing, if those teams decide to add a fourth car to their three-car operations.
“Anybody would look at Kyle right now — any team in here,” said team owner Richard Childress. “Kyle is a really talented young driver, and I just think he’d be the future of any team that he went to. He’s the hottest property on the market right now.
“You have to remember his age. I can name you eight or 10 guys in here at his age that were a handful. He’s learning. Every new experience you get educated a little more, and I’d say this has educated him a little more. I think a few of the things that happen to you in your career educate you and make you a better person and a better race-car driver.”
Busch spoke on Friday and mentioned such teams as Evernham Motorsports and Robert Yates Racing as possibilities.
And then there is always DEI, which has a driver opening for next year after Earnhardt is taking over Busch’s ride.
“I’m interested in talking to anybody who wants to talk, whether it’s DEI, Gibbs, RCR. Evernham, Yates – let’s go, let’s sit down, let’s have dinner,” Busch said. “There are teams out there from the standpoints I hear that are equal to the resources and the money to be a Hendrick Motorsports. Whether it’s the people or the technology or the car or the people, I don’t know that because I’m not there. If I get there and see an area where we can grow, I will go to the team owner to try to grow it.”
Both Busch and Hendrick have said the team will stay together through the end of this season and try to make The Chase for the Championship.
Busch said it was a tough decision to let go of his agent and get new representation, but it was something he needed to do.
“I didn’t want to do it, but I have a better background now to work hard to become a better racer and a better driver,” Busch said. “I wasn’t in that much contact with them, and I want to be in better contact to where I’m more involved in everything.
“My departure (from his agent) has nothing to do with the deal falling through; I had been with him (Miller) since I was 16 years old. He had worked with Jimmie Johnson and Casey Mears and has a great reputation and is a great guy, I just thought it would be in my best interests to try to further along and negotiate some different offers.”
Busch is a victim of a series of events that began when a contract extension was being negotiated between Miller and Hendrick Motorsports. The talks started off positive, but turned negative before the final blow.
That’s when Earnhardt announced last month that he was leaving Dale Earnhardt, Inc. and would race for another team next year.
Last Monday, Busch and Hendrick decided it was in everyone’s best interests to part ways at the end of the season.
“I had previous representation by someone else (Alan Miller), and it wasn’t discussed to me some of the things that probably should have been, so I’m very ignorant when it comes to that stuff because I was not informed,” Busch said. “To me, the negotiations were going well, then they weren’t going well, then the negotiations got on track then Junior announced his availability and that’s where it all stalled out again.
“I’m not stupid. You’re not stupid. It is common sense I guess.”